SAQ aims to maintain profits despite declining alcohol consumption in Quebec

SAQ store. (Bloomberg)

The Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ) aims to generate relatively stable net profits over the next four years, despite declining alcohol consumption in Quebec.

It’s one of the objectives the Crown corporation has set in its 2027–2030 strategic plan, unveiled on Thursday.

The SAQ is targeting a profit of $1.4 billion in 2029-2030, which would represent a 1.1 per cent decrease compared to preliminary results for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The corporation expects alcohol consumption to continue to decline during the period.

In its key priorities, it states its intention to focus on technology and efficiency gains to maintain its contribution to the Quebec treasury, despite pressure on sales.

Management will also seek to sustain the momentum for buying local, as sales of Quebec products have risen more sharply than anticipated in the wake of trade tensions between Canada and the United States.

The SAQ had targeted 9.4 per cent sales growth for Quebec products between 2024 and 2026. The increase was 14.6 per cent, according to preliminary results. The SAQ wants to build on these gains with annual growth of around 2.5 per cent over the next four years.

However, the Crown corporation is pushing back the timeline for achieving its climate goals, as it fell well short of its previous target. It had aimed to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 18 per cent compared to the 2020–2021 fiscal year. Instead, they jumped by 15 per cent.

It now hopes to achieve a 12 per cent reduction in 2029–2030 compared to the same base year. Last year, SAQ President and CEO Jacques Farcy explained in an interview that Lion Électrique’s setbacks had thwarted his plans to integrate electric trucks into the fleet.

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• SAQ reports net income of $336.5 million in the second quarter, down 0.4%

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on April 23, 2026.

Stéphane Rolland, The Canadian Press